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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Hey guys, it is unpopular opinion time…


specifically about this stuff


I have seen spray rosin becoming more prevalent in aerial class rooms. I notice students slathering up in the sticky substance before even trying to climb the silks. Rather than gliding up the silks it sounds like you are rolling up Velcro curtains. And let’s not even discuss the residue that is left of the fabric.

Spray rosin definitely has a time and purpose but every class should not be one of them. I know you all think that the rosin is improving your grip but the truth is the spray is not doing you any favors. It is a temporary and artificial solution at best.

If you are a habitual user of grip aid you are not training your grip to the maximum potential. I see students who are progressed to the more advanced levels but do not trust their inversions without sticky assistance. Their training session is crippled if they forget the rosin bottle or if it starts to wear off after a few minutes in the air.

I don’t want to offend or shame anyone but please consider if you would benefit from focusing on grip and see if there are changes you want to make in your training. If we put the same effort into training our grip that is often reserved for the core we would all be much safe and confident aerialists. As aerialist our hands are one of our greatest tools so make them one you can rely on!


Here are some suggestions for improving your grip strength.

  • Take your first set of climbs without rosin and then shoot for longer and longer sessions without it. We don’t start with killer grip but you can work up to it.
  • Tap into your inner sloth and try just hanging from the silks. Challenge yourself and see how long you can go.
  • Be cognizant of your grip and make every finger contribute. Start with your pinky and roll up through your index when grabbing the silk
  • Tiny finger exercises such as repeatedly pretending to flick water from your fingers or grabbing and releasing something imaginary can help warm up and work those muscles associated with grip.


Photo by Dan Funkhouser